


Rogues and Dragons

by DelicateDragons



Series: Tails of the Dragang [D&D AU] [1]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dungeons & Dragons, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, Tales of Xadia Compliant, all kinds of au's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26202436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelicateDragons/pseuds/DelicateDragons
Summary: Dungeon and dragon au that nobody asked for with lore and stuff borrowed from Tales of Xadia!
Relationships: Azymondias & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Series: Tails of the Dragang [D&D AU] [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902841
Comments: 52
Kudos: 49





	1. The rogue assassin

**Author's Note:**

> This story is now going to be edited and revolve around the new Tabletop RPG game: Tales of Xadia! The spells will still be from and cause I can't think of alternative spells to use right now, but I hope you all will like this new change! 
> 
> Thank you for being so patient with me. My semester is making me unable to write some days and it really stinks. I hope this change of plot makes up for it. 
> 
> P.S: I am sorry it's so short. I will have longer chapters in the future. Enjoy for now.

“You haven’t seen a young wizard around these parts have you?” 

The rogue girl looks up from her table, ears moving a tiny bit to listen in on the conversation, her lunch being forgotten rather quickly. Her gaze settles on the pouch on the fighter’s waist. The fighter was distracted by the merchant that it would be easy for her to make a move. 

She waits. The fighter will put everything down on the table beside him to look for something to trade for knowledge. The rogue knows of this strategy all too well. Studying every single victim before missions were crucial to her. It sometimes did her well enough that the victim wouldn’t know of their missing artifact until she was long gone. 

Her snow-white hair, tucked away in a ponytail, had been covered up by a cloak that had green fangs printed on the hood piece. Her dark cloak covers most of her clothes beside her navy boots. Violet eyes were hidden beyond the hood of the cloak. Nobody would ever see beyond the cloak. Anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her slim figure and her eyes was tagged as a dead man. For the rogue had one rule: no one would see the real person underneath the cloak unless they proved to her that they weren’t going to leave her. 

She sits patiently, waiting for the fighter to receive an answer from the merchant, and starts wondering about the wizard that the fighter had mentioned. Why would a wizard bring importance to a fighter? Was it for protection or healing spells? The fighter would have to look for a cleric if the latter would be it. Wizards weren’t useless for healing spells but the clerics deal with them better. 

Why would a wizard be of importance to somebody? If they knew of the wizard then wouldn’t they have mentioned them by name? It would make more sense to the rogue. 

“Why would you need to know that information, young man? Unless you are their friend or acquaintance then I can’t bother telling you their whereabouts.” the merchant finally manages to say, making Rayla exhale a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. 

The fighter takes a deep calming breath before pulling out a small knife and places it on the front counter of which they stood in front of. “Listen, I just need to know where this wizard is. His parents are really worried about him and they had offered me-” his next words had perked the rogue’s interests just enough to let her focus on two things at once. “gold to claim if I would come back with their son alive. I just need their next location and then I won’t bother you again.” 

Rayla had enough sense to know that the fighter was lying about two things. One, parents are usually too grief-stricken to send someone that they barely know to find their child. Two, the fighter would probably kill the child after receiving the payment. It works to ways and the rogue finds herself feeling tempted to use her skills to track down the wizard herself. 

The merchant seems to be thinking through this. She sees him side-eye the fighter while picking up the knife and inspecting it. The fighter leans on the counter and the jingle of coins calls the rogues attention back to them. 

It was stupid but she has to eat sometime. 

Rayla crouches down and silently approaches the fighter’s side where the coin pouch is. She performs  _ Cunning Action  _ and it gave her the ability to swipe the pouch off the fighter’s belt without much hesitation. With a grin, she skittles away. 

_ Time to go back and restock,  _ The rogue grins at her mini-victory and heads into the shadows. Her hood falters a little from the wind and she hides away when she notices two people walking past her. They were wearing hoods and cloaks were being held tightly together. Rayla narrows her eyes, eyeing their backs as one was noticeably taller than the other.  __

__

Her instinct instructed her to follow them. So she did. 

She was trained to prepare for anything. Kill? Yes. Steal? Definitely. 

However, she wasn’t prepared to defend the two hooded strangers. 

  
  



	2. The Wizard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla gives him an almost offensive look. “How cruel are you to accuse me of lying about my age?!” She dramatically holds her heart and leans back on her chair. She snorts and falls off her chair in laughter.
> 
> The wizard rolls his eyes. Hilarious.

“So do you think dad is okay?” 

Callum looks at his little brother and searches for the correct answer. His mind was screaming at him to tell him. Ezran should know about their father’s fate. He deserves to know. But, the wizard prince keeps it to himself. 

“Yeah, he’ll be fine.” he lies, already hating himself for it. He feels his heart squeeze when he sees his brother nodded. A look of uncertainty crossing over his face. 

“We’re not fine. Somebody’s following us.” Ezran whispers to him as he looks down at his glow toad. “Bait hears footsteps.” 

“Can glow toads hear? Do they even have ears?” Callum's questions go unanswered as he whirls around with a firebolt ready to throw at whoever dare attack them. Bandits? Ruffians? 

Ezran hides behind his brother as a figure emerges from the shadows. He sees her hood fall and twin blades. He looks at his brother and sees conflict on his face. Callum’s hand was shaking. Was that because he was about to fight a girl with swords? 

Her white hair and pointy ears and horns made her stand out. Her dark clothing and fang marks on her cheeks gave her class away easily. Rogue. She looks like a thief too. Bandit maybe? 

“So, I heard you two are pretty valuable.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. Callum stiffens under her gaze and widens his stance so that his cloak was hiding his brother. “How suspicious you are acting, right now, I’d say I stand corrected.” She remarks as she raises her blades at the boys. 

So it was a question. But the type that confuses you. Makes you think if it was actually more of a statement. Maybe it was and he doesn’t know?

“How much are we worth then?” Callum asks, surprising himself at how steady his voice is.

The rogue freezes. She narrows her eyes and lowers her blade close to the boys a little. “None of that matters.” she changes the subject as quickly as she closes the remaining feet. Her sword inches to the wizard's throat. “You’re coming with me.”

Callum smirks, and with newfound confidence, pushes her blade down and away from his throat. His face was close to hers. Mere inches away from their noses touching. He clears his throat, ignoring his burning face. “Where, exactly?”

The rogue takes a few minutes to respond and growls in defeat as her shoulders fall. She backs up to give herself space between herself and the wizard. Her ears fall downwards slightly. Almost as if she is embarrassed.

Ezran, taking a step out from behind his brother, sighs in relief. But he straightens as he turns to the elf. “Why did you threaten us? We’re not here to fight you or anything.”

She gives him a hard look. Then she sighs. “I heard from a fighter that you two are valuable and need to return to the castle. Something like that.” She confesses, hiding a tint of pink on her cheeks with her hand.

Both brothers give each other a quick worried glance. So, Lord Viren needed them for something. Probably needed the egg more. Lord Viren wasn’t one to care for the lives of innocent children, one of them being the future king of Katolis. He was probably staging an act. The princes needed to come home.

“We’re not going back,” Callum says, his voice suddenly tight with grief. He would not shed tears in front of a stranger nor his brother.

“Yeah, we have a mission,” Ezran adds brightly.

The older boy nearly face palms himself. The rogue looks like she would ask them questions. He clears his throat, again. “To get as far away from the castle as possible. Yep, that's the mission!” he rushes his words a tad too quick and clasps his brother's shoulders with his hands. “We would like to stay and chat but nightfall is approaching. I and my brother still have ground to cover. So if you excuse us-” He goes to push Ezran forward and lead him away from the elven rogue.

They get to the edge of the forest when a voice stops them and makes Callum’s blood go cold. “Wait, why do you have a Dragonborn's egg with ya?”

Did he really have to explain this to her?

\--[--]--

“So your high mage took the Dragonborn egg from his parents and lied to everyone about destroying it? That is hard to believe,” states Rayla as she walks beside the boys, her swords sheathed behind her.

Ezran smiles grimly ahead. “I still worry about our father. The last time we saw him was at lunch. That was two days ago since Callum found me. Maybe we can find a town and send a letter saying that we are safe or something?”

“That’s probably not a good idea when you have people looking for you,” Rayla responds gently before Callum could tell him about their father's fate. “But you can still write a letter without sending it. That way it reminds you to tell the person what you did when you see them again.”

That was not what he was expecting from the rogue- Rayla. Her name is Rayla. She had introduced herself after apologizing. She had threatened them. But now? What will she do now? Protect them? Callum would have to let her down. He can protect his brother and himself on his own. They had survived for three days. Without any guards to protect them. Only themselves. Something they didn’t need from her. She had good intentions, at least. Not killing them.

He stays silent. Afraid that his voice would crack again when he has to tell his brother another lie. He hated lying to somebody as sweet as Ezran. He couldn’t keep this going for long. Sooner or later they will cross paths with someone who knows about the king's fate and Ezran would be there. Callum would be devastated. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if his little brother blames him for everything. Highly unlikely but it was a fear he couldn’t think past.

Fear had him running from pretty much everything all his life. He couldn’t do anything besides magic. Horseback riding, sword fighting, battle tactics, etc. All of that he failed. Until he read a book on magic, tried a spell, and immediately fell head over heels for the subject. He couldn’t stop reading the spellbooks. Harrow had given him a sketchbook to draw out runes so that he could study outside the castle with newer spells. The sketchbook was filled with multiple spells. Some are more complicated, and others easier. But they didn’t seem to bother Callum.

Ezran pulls on his jacket with enough force to startle the wizard out of his thoughts. He blinks and looks at his brother with a questioning look.

“Rayla asked you a question which you totally ignored. Are you okay?” the little druid asks.

Callum’s face flushes. Of course, he would zone out. At the very least he hadn’t done anything that would embarrass himself in front of the girl yet. Which he probably just did now that he thought about it. Nice going wizardly prince.

“Never mind the question. Let's start heading to the nearest town to rest.” calls the elf from above the treeline. Callum spotted her from above him easily. Her hood wasn’t up to conceal her face. “Then we can regroup in the morning.'' After saying that, Callum watches as she flings herself to tree branch from tree branch. She was fast!

“Did you see her, Callum? She just jumped from tree to tree like it was nothing!” says Ezran, with uncontrolled excitement.

Callum did.

\--[--]--

“So what do you think of this one?”

“What do you mean?” Callum looks up to hear Rayla asking Ezran a question. He was about to question what they mean when a giant cake lands on their table at the inn. It was simple: brown frosting with tiny sprinkles decorating it. “Oh, so that is what you mean!”

Callum smiles and shakes his head as the two in front of him start eating the cake. He wasn’t hungry. Well, he was but he couldn’t find himself to eat anything. After today. After this night. Their journey was dangerous. At least Rayla knows about wilderness survival and had told them to stock up on supplies when they first entered the town.

Her presence wasn’t so bad anymore. Unless, you know, she was in the mood.

“Hey, wizard. Have some cake. I bought it for you guys. Eat.” the elf knocks on the crystal clear plate in front of him. When he looked at her, her eyes were gentle yet firm. “After today, we aren’t going to another town for a while. So fill your belly while you still can.”

“Why are you talking to me like a child?”

“Do you know my age?” Rayla raises an eyebrow at him while Ez snickers beside her.

The wizard looks at her and squints. She looks his age. A little taller but close to his age.

“You-” With a flash, Rayla’s blade was at his throat.

“Answer it carefully. Unless you want a pointy thing to end your pointy things reign?”

Callum gulps. Was that innuendo really necessary? And in front of  _ Ezran _ .

“You look not a day over fifteen!” He squeaks out and his little brother snorts in amusement. He looks into the rogue's eyes. Her pretty violet eyes.

She pulls back her blade and dusts herself off. “Actually I am one hundred and forty years old. Not that I am counting.” She looks at her nails and bites off another piece of cake.

“No. You’re not.” Callum accuses flatly.

Rayla gives him an almost offensive look. “How cruel are you to accuse me of lying about my age?!” She dramatically holds her heart and leans back on her chair. She snorts and falls off her chair in laughter.

The wizard rolls his eyes. Humorous.

This is going to be a long journey.

Ezran laughs as Rayla pulls the last piece of cake off her plate and onto Callum’s. Her smile sends an unexpected warmth through him and in his belly.

“I got ya. I’m actually fifteen. Not that I am  _ ever  _ caring about my age at all.” she tells him before they retire to their separate beds for the night.

Ezran and he were sharing a bed since they were related. Rayla never complained. She went to the bed that was across from there and fell asleep after discarding her boots and swords. Her cloak was draped over the chair that sat between the bed and the window.

The moon was a waxing crescent. Soon, very soon, it will be full. A couple more days. Then Rayla will be at her strongest. That is what she told him walking away from the armory after she had gotten her blades sharpened and cleaned. 

__

_ Let's hope danger doesn’t find us before then,  _ Callum’s thoughts drifted ever slowly towards sleep and he dreams of the moon and the moon elf sleeping across from him.

Little did he know that he shouldn’t pray on anything good when you start a quest.

\---[--]---

They were at a village close to the Curse Caldera when they were caught. A dark mage, Claudia, had spotted them beside a familiar-looking fighter. The blood ran from Rayla’s face as she recolonizes the fighter with his blond hair and his dumb face. She hides it under the hood and stays clear from sight behind Callum and Ezran.

“Hey, elf!”

Rayla freezes. Her eyes moved to the sound of boots crunching through leaves and the fighter appeared in front of her. She straightens and removes her hood. She gives him a raised eyebrow while crossing her arms.

“Can I help you?”

The fighter blinks and shakes his head as if he was caught in a trance. His eyes focused on the pouch at her hip.

Rayla looked uncomfortable at the staring the fighter was doing and reached for her blades when the dark mage steps forward. Though she was glad that Callum had blocked Claudia’s path, she wasn’t happy that the fighter had looked at her with an odd smile on his lips. Maybe she could pummel the smile off his face?

“Give me back what’s mine or I will take it back by force,” he says, smirking cockily as if he knows something she doesn’t.

Callum was at her side in a second looking very anxious. “Let's not fight! Rayla, just give Soren back whatever you took from him-”

“Take? Stole seems more like it!” Claudia makes her place known while Callum gives her a look. “What? Don’t tell me you’re okay with this, Callum?”

The wizard shakes his head before writing out a rune. “Stealing is wrong, yes, but she gave me and Ez a room at an inn. Something your father clearly never gave us money for before we ran!” The standing at her right, Ezran, looks at his brother worried. “You never once stepped in to stop what your father tried to do to us.”

Claudia blinks at him. She looks at the fighter, Soren, and nods. “Maybe we made a mistake trying to save you from the elf.”

“What?” Ezran looks at the fighter for some information but he doesn’t look at his old friend's faces. “Claudia, what are you talking about?”

Rayla pulls out her blades and stands between the dark mage and the boys. She tilts her head sideways at Ezran to get closer to his brother. Her cloak flutters in the wind and hides the tiny glow of the Dragonborn's egg. One problem was enough to deal with. They don’t need another. Especially not from these two turkeys.

“You’re clearly under her spell called ‘Moonshadow madness’!” Soren yells.

“...What?” Callum asks warily.

“It’s a thing!”

“Uh, no it's not. I can’t do magic. I’m not a magic user like these two.” Rayla says, giving the fighter a hard look after rolling her eyes.

Soren scoffs. “Are you a druid or something?”

“Soren!” Claudia and Callum snap at him at the same time.

Ezran raises Bait, raises his chin and familiar, and closes his eyes. The rogue and wizard hide their eyes a second before the siblings get a chance to do so. The glow toad flashes his bright light and the dark mage and fighter yell in surprise and curses. “You already met Bait, but he’s my little friend.” The druid tells them, a hint of smugness in his voice.

They booked out of there and headed straight up the mountain. The higher they ran, the colder and icier it got. Bait was warming Ezran up and Rayla was almost jealous of the boy. The snow was dreadful. Callum had done a heat spell to keep them warm until they found a cave or abandoned building to rest for the afternoon.

The look of astonishment on the fighter's face when they got tricked was worth it. Callum had to drag his companions away to not get caught again.

Rayla shakes her head in amusement and relief. They’re safe. Away from that perky dark mage and her brother. She allows her shoulders to relax as she stays behind to make sure to cover her group's tracks. Her heart had finally slowed from the adrenalin. Once she has finished kicking the snow to cover their tracks, she looks up to see the boys (and glow toad) looking at the sky.

“What’cha looking at?”

“I thought I heard a scream,” Ezran confesses and Bait turns pink. Callum pats his brother's shoulders and offers him a comforting smile. “It's probably just in my head.”

“I’ll do a perimeter check real quick in case those two buffoons followed us.” Rayla offers and before anyone could reject, she is gone.

“She just insulted our old friends, Callum.”

“Yeah?”

“Aren’t you mad about that? I mean wasn’t Claudia your crush?” Ezran asks, switching Bait to his other arm. He tilts his head when Callum hides his face.

“Not anymore. She betrayed me, us.” He says, clearing his throat and sees Rayla walking up to where they were. His cheeks glow red when he notices he is staring. He decides to take his weight from one foot to the other. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, let's keep going!” the rogue says hurriedly, brushing his shoulders with hers as she passes by.

Callum looks at her figure and hurries after her. He could see the worry on her face. How she tenses when Ezran joins her on her left. Rayla saw something.

“You're hiding something.” the druid notes and Bait croaks.

The rogue gives him a weird look and sighs in defeat. “How are you so sure I am hiding anything?” She teases the child who rolls his eyes.

“Just because I am a druid doesn’t mean I can’t figure stuff out on my own. Plus, your body language screams ‘I was caught’!”

Rayla sighs loudly again and she shows her covered up the wound on her right shoulder. It was bloody. She explains to them that Soren had attacked her out of nowhere and had nicked her shoulder. They would have to find another route to go up the mountain. Her shoulder was bleeding and the blood was staining the snow beneath her.

Callum had a healing spell. He shouldn’t use it on a wound like this. It was bleeding, yes, but it wasn’t big. The cut was no bigger than his ear.

Rayla had the same idea.

“Keep your spells ready. Just a small scratch. No biggie.” She waves him off and he turns his head to look behind him. “Let's find a cave. Do you have a spell that keeps our hideout secure?”

Callum nods. Hallucinatory Terrain. It's an illusion spell. It will cover them for 24 hours. He can cast it on the whole mountainside they decide on and nothing will happen. It will seem like they had just disappeared without a trace. Claudia would probably cast, detect magic, on them. Which means they would have to take turns to make sure no one gets past the spell.

It was understanding that they were all jumpy when evening came and they found a spot for the night to rest. Rayla had taken responsibility and took the first watch. Callum would take the early morning watch while Ezran (because he’s younger) gets to help the rogue find food for the upcoming journey during his brother's rest.

Unknown to them, they weren’t alone inside the cave.

End of session 2

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on Tumblr at @Delicatedragons-ao3 for important updates concerning this story and my other fics!
> 
> Spells in Dungeon and dragons are still used cause I'm lazy and don't want to come up with newer, updated stuff, that works with Tales of Xadia! I will use both elements of dnd and TOX from now on.


	3. The Banther

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio sits around the fire that Callum had not so carefully put up with his fire spell. Callum and Ezran held onto their cloaks, shivering, as Rayla looks ready to murder an icicle. It has been a few hours since the mage casts hallucinatory terrain on the cave, making their camp and warm fire hidden from onlookers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bait & Ezran's communication will use ' not ". Just to avoid confusion.
> 
> Before we jump in to tonight's chapter, I have something to tell you guys. I may need to take some time off from writing fanfic in order to focus on school and family. If you heard, my grandmother is nearing her end. I wrote this chapter as a distraction so you may get chapters sooner than later so please don't make a big deal of it. I love your comments though! They really cheer me up! 
> 
> Second, wisdom teeth are getting pulled next Friday. So I am trying to get extra homework done in hopes that I will be able to do some writing while I recover. This whole month is just turning out fine :D
> 
> Love in the Time of Tempest is taking a hiatus for an unknown amount of time. I don't have a lot of motivation for this fic anymore. I'll try to get something out but I will give you no promises. 
> 
> Sorry, this chapter was updated so late! 
> 
> Okay, as always please follow my Tumblr for more announcements and updates regarding update schedules and stuff. I love you guys. Thanks for your support!

The trio sits around the fire that Callum had not so carefully put up with his fire spell. Callum and Ezran held onto their cloaks, shivering, as Rayla looks ready to murder an icicle. It has been a few hours since the wizard casts hallucinatory terrain on the cave, making their camp and warm fire hidden from onlookers. 

The illusion spell has twenty-two hours left until it ends. The spell would hold until mid-afternoon the day after, but surely they would be far enough away by then. Rayla had made it clear that they needed to move bright and early in the morning. 

It wouldn't take long for their trackers to catch them if they decided to stay and eat breakfast in the cave. They would have to walk and eat. The crispy wind from this high is better than no freedom at all. The dark mage and fighter that were following them had stopped them once, no way in Tenebris that the trio will make the same mistake again. Their rogue friend had made that clear. 

No stopping. Not even for a leak. 

"Thanks, Callum. The fire is warming up my toes." Ezran's voice breaks the girl's thought process as she looks to see the older brother shuffle closer to the little boy. The druid makes a show of wiggling his toes and giggles when his glow toad familiar, Bait, grumbles in agreement. 

The wizard nods, distracted by looking into the fire. He pulls the cloak tighter around his body. His brother looks at him and pulls his cloak around his brother's shoulders. Callum silently tugs the other end of the cloak and pulls his brother close. 

He doesn't take his eyes off the fire. Rayla notices. Is it trauma related? The rogue girl kept her eyes between watching the older boy and the mouth of the cave. Her heart skips a beat when the wizard notices her violet eyes catching his for a moment. 

Rayla looks away, feeling bashful and warm. Her actions never went unnoticed by the druid. Ezran tilts his head to the side with a half smug half concern smile. Her face feels hot. It wasn't because of the fire, she notices. 

She clears her throat grabbing the attention of her companions. "Let’s get some rest. I'll take the first watch," she announces with no room to argue. 

Rayla walks to the front of the cave with one hand settling down on her blade sheaths and the other resting on the wall. Her ears were alert and her eyes sharpened their senses when the light of the fire dwindled to nothing. Her night vision was kicking in, giving Rayla the upper hand if anyone were to walk into the cave uninvited. 

A cold breeze keeps her alert. Her skin is warm because of the moon, but she knows her skin will start freezing in an hour or two. She could feel her body feel light. Invisibility does that to you. 

Meanwhile, the boys were attempting to sleep close enough to the fire without burning themselves. Ezran held Bait close to his chest, the glow toad familiar giving off some warmth. Callum keeps himself slightly awake. He has a feeling that he should rest while he still can. Gather warmth while he still can. 

His little brother sprung up after a few minutes of rest. Ezran blinks rapidly and rubs at his eyes, looking down at Bait with concern. Callum opens his mouth to speak but a distant huff from the back of the cave makes his body freeze up. 

_ Intimidated,  _ he curses in his head as he struggles to turn his head to look at his brother. 

Bait grumbles turning red and Callum realizes that the glow toad familiar was protective. Ezran crawls closer to the older boy and places the protective glow toad in his lap. Then, the druid stands. 

Rayla was still outside, completely unaware of the distinct noise that was coming from the far end of the cave. Callum had no idea where she was but he trusted her. Even though they had known each other for a short time, he had no reason to act suspicious to her. 

The huffing noise stopped and Callum watches his little brother tilt his head towards Bait's direction, the glow toad was still red. Familiar and companion, communicating using their thoughts. Smart move, the wizard would tell his brother afterward. 

\---[--]--- 

'Banther,' Bait murmurs, silently staring at the back of the cave. 'What are you going to do?' 

'I can hear her.' Ezran acknowledges his familiar's thoughts as he feels his distress in a form of protectiveness. The boy tilts his head towards the glow toad. 'I'm going to cast Animal Friendship to let her know we aren't going to harm her.' 

A low rumbling was heard from the familiar's thoughts. 'Careful, she has a cub nearby. She most likely will be protecting her cub.' 

Ezran didn't know how his glow toad knew that information, but he took that info willingly. With a deep breath, the druid calmly (though his heart was racing) walks around the warmth of the fire. 

\---[---]--- 

Callum kept a firm hold on Bait as they watched the druid walk around the fire. The wizard kept his voice low and his eyes downcast. Act like he never heard the noise. That always works. 

"Where's Ezran?" Rayla's voice startles him and he gives a loud yelp. 

'Stay calm, Ez.' Bait messages the young boy before glaring at the rogue unhelpfully. 

'You don't have to tell me twice.' the familiar hears the boy send a message back. 

Callum lays a hand on the rogue's and she looks down at him as her mouth opens up as if she's going to yell at him. Probably, if the circumstances were different. But now wasn't the time. He'll apologize for touching her without consent later (with a much-deserved scolding) but now he needed to tell her about their-- guest. Callum puts a finger up to his mouth and motions her to sit down. 

Rayla, frowning worried, crouches down beside him instead. Whichever works. 

"Where's Ezran?" She hisses, hands steadying herself on the floor. Her face looks- brighter and more menacing in the light of the fire. Rayla looks- intimidating. That's a new word. 

"Investigating a sound," Callum says after a moment of awkward silence. He had looked away after she nearly caught him staring at her. He can't help thinking about what she'd look like in the fire that killed his father. Pretty and fierce. 

_ Focus you, dumb wizard!  _ His mind screams as he looks past the fire and manages to see his brother's shadowy form. He relaxes knowing that Ezran is safe. 

\---[---]--- 

Ezran walks with caution. He calms his racing heart with words of positivity. The boy couldn't let the banther know how terrifying this is. Getting himself and his friends mauled by a defensive momma bear wasn't on his to-do list. 

Casting Animal Friendship, the druid walks forward with a smile forming on his face. The smile wasn't to make the banther think he'll take her cub. She needs to know that he means no harm. 

A yelp causes him to freeze while staring wide-eyed ahead _. Why now?  _

'Stay calm, Ez.' His familiar's voice offers him reassurance that the boy desperately needed. He sent back his message and lowered his shoulders. Calming himself or forcing himself to remain calm. 

"My brother is loud isn't he?" Ezran was surprised at how steady his voice was as he came close enough to study the banthers body language. "The walls create an echo that makes it louder, doesn't it? Wait, you don't understand science stuff." He laughs a little and sits on his knees with both hands in front of him, so as not to frighten the banther nor to have her think he's hiding something. Which he's not. "My friend, Rayla? She's nice once you get to know her. I bet my brother did something dumb in front of her." 

The banther and her cub looks at him curiously and takes a step forward. Cautiously. 

'Family?' The banther nods at the fire that was lighting up the walls, casting gloomy shadows across the cavern walls. 'Go back and tell them we don't like them here. Pointy ear scares Chow.' 

_ Chow must be the cub or was it the banther?  _ Ezran looks back over his shoulder to where Rayla and Callum were. 

"You don't have to worry about Rayla, Chow. She's harmless." 

'Chow don't believe you.' The banther shakes her head and gives the boy a low growl. 'Go back to the family. Leave the cave.' 

Ezran's thoughts were running wild. His heart started racing in his chest and his palms were starting to sweat. Do panthers like fish or meat? Of course, they like meat. Meat eaters aren't vegetarians. 

The banther's cub makes a noise between a growl and a yelp. His mother looks at him with an emotion that Ez couldn't describe. It sounded hungry. Had they been stuck here this whole time. 

'Timon is starving. He smells meat. Hunt for us and we'll let you stay the night.' The banther levels her eyes at Ezran and turns back towards the shadows. Her cub follows her but looks back at the human druid as if to see if he'll disappear. Ez wouldn't think of leaving a defenseless animal alone. 

"Thank you! I'll bring you back something. What do you guys like specifically?" 

He waits patiently for a reply. It came a minute later, startling him out of a daze. 

'Meat. Rabbits. Chow likes you. Keep a pointy ear away.' The banther's voice is still in his head as he walks steadily back to his friends and the warmth of the fire. 

\---[--]-- 

Rayla eyed the druid's body language as he returned from his  _ investigation.  _ She hears bull-droppings. She rises to her feet and opens her mouth to say something but Ez beats her to it. The second time that night somebody interrupted her. 

"We have to hunt for food. Otherwise, she won't let us stay." 

_ She?  _ The rogue raises an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean by her?" 

"The banther," Ezran says, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal. 

_ This is such bull-droppings written all over it _ ! The white-haired girl groans as she turns to face the wizard who was still on the ground, still staring at the fire. "What do you think of this?" 

"Think of what? The banther?" Callum asks, looking at her once he had figured out that somebody was waiting for his input. "My brother is a druid, Rayla. He can speak to animals. He has a spell for that specific reason. I could learn it, but I would screw it up." 

"That's true! I am far better at doing animal-specific spells than him." Ezran smiles thoughtfully at his brother before it falls again. This time his voice became more serious. "I need you to trust me on this, Rayla. Don't come with me when I am delivering the food. The banther doesn't like you." 

"I do trust you, Ez." Rayla's eyes soften and her voice turns gentle yet her tone was stern. "But why doesn't the banther like me? I barely know it-" 

" _ Her."  _

"I barely know  _ her _ . I don't like this, Ez." 

Ezran's eyes narrow. "You don't  _ have  _ to like this. How do you think I feel right now?" Rayla looks down and sighs. "Exactly. I need help gathering rabbits for her and her cub. Are you coming or not?" 

Rayla inhales through her mouth and exhales from her nose. Her mind screams for her to not answer. But she does. Callum understands. She's sure he had to say no to his brother a few times. The rogue closes her eyes and sighs long and dramatically.  _ This kid will be the death of me, isn't he?  _

"Fine, but Callum will come with you. I'll keep my distance but if I see one wrong move from that banther, I will intervene!" 

"That's fine." Ezran nods with the corners of his mouth tilting up. 

Callum stays inside to keep the fire going while Rayla went to gather food and she took Bait with her for a light source. Ezran had gone back to the far end of the cave to talk to the banther. 

She didn’t like this situation. Not one bit. The kid is going to get himself mauled by the banther. Or worse. Wait, is there something worse than getting mauled by a banther? Oh- death. 

She wishes Runaan was here. He'd know what to do. 

Perhaps, she'll have to stop him from killing her companions first. That wouldn't end well for either of them. 

\--[--]-- 

Callum walks with his brother with the fish that Rayla had caught and killed for the banthers. He isn't going to lie: the banther mother is terrifying. 

She is huge! Taller and bigger than him. Maybe three times his size? Possibly. 

Ezran lowers himself in a kneeling position and pulls the fish from the Wizard’s sack. The minute he offered the cub a fish, the little cub took it and ran back to his mother. The banther mother sniffs at the dead aquatic mammal. 

Callum looks away as she takes a huge chunk off it. His stomach churns from the sounds of splitting flesh. Some manners these creatures have. 

The banther cub growls in thanks and ruffles against the druid’s knee before running back to his mother. The mother nods and gives a huff before turning to walk back into the shadows. 

"Thank you for letting us stay. We'll make sure to gather food for you before we leave in the morning." Ezran stands with a smile on his face that makes Callum relax. He turns and leaves to walk away. 

Callum follows and notices his brother’s exhaustion, how his shoulders were slumped and his eyes were fighting off sleep. The wizard took the boy's arm and pulled him close to him, away from the fire that he surely would have stumbled into. Fortunately, the druid went straight to his blanket, and his glow toad familiar, Bait, snuggled close to the boy. 

The egg that sat snuggled inside the druid's pack, glows dimly. Does Callum wonder if this creature will hatch soon, or perhaps in another year? They had no way of knowing really. They weren't egg-sports or anything of the sort. 

Rayla, ever the more grumpy, sighs and sat down a few feet away and leaned her back against the wall of the cave. Her face glows in the light of the fire. Callum notices that feeling of dread rising in his stomach and racing towards his heart. 

He lays his head down on his pack and turns his body away from the rogue's watchful gaze. The images of the fire embers and the light dancing off the walls were the last thing he remembers before his reality turns dark. His breath soon evens out as he welcomes the endless line of nightmares the night foretells. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it Thursday yet? ;)


	4. The Search for Ez Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What in the name of Xadia were you thinking!?" She hisses as she gives him a sideways glance.
> 
> Callum blinks. His mind felt numb. He couldn't feel his legs. The water was freezing now. "We needed water."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marry Christmas/Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday! If not, then i hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> I am sorry for not being able to update for quite some time, a lot has happened since then. So I appreciate you all for understanding! 
> 
> This chapter was suppose to be done last week but the funeral took most of the time and most of my emotions. But, why not have it as a Christmas gift for you guys? So here we are! I hope you all enjoy it, cause its going to be a rollercoaster for a while!

"How can you guys trust this _elf_ when you know that she isn't who she is!" Claudia asks. Not ask, accuse. She accuses Callum once the siblings caught him near the river. He was refilling his water container and wasn't paying any attention to the small trap he was currently placing himself in. 

Soren and Claudia were six feet away from him on the shore and Callum was standing in ankle-deep river water. He wouldn't be able to run as fast as he could on land. The unawareness of his surroundings had cost him, again. He was trapped. 

The boy knew this river was famous for its roaring currents when you get deep enough. He knows if he gets too knee-deep then the river would surely take him off his feet. 

Rayla would be scolding him by now for his lack of awareness. He deserves it. Kinda. He _will_ deserve it. When he gets out of this situation. Callum just needs to think of a spell that makes it easier for him to escape but harder for Claudia to detect. She's smart, possibly even smarter than her father. 

"She trusts Ezran and me more than I trust you and Soren. She saved _us._ You wouldn't even have thought of saving us from your father!" The mage quips back as he thinks hard for a spell to get him out of here and back to the cave where it is safe _._ "Why are you even following us in the first place? I can tell it isn't about bringing _us_ home." 

The way Claudia stiffens and Soren falters, gives Callum all he needed to know. His hands feel clammy and gross and sweat drips from his brow. He doesn't lift his finger to write the rune. The siblings would find out what he was thinking and attack him. They wouldn't attack him if he wasn't threatening them. He was scrawny according to Soren, so Callum may have the advantage of surprise here. 

But Claudia is smarter than him. She could look right through him. That is a blessing of childhood and also a curse. She knows his weaknesses and strengths. The boy had gone to _her_ for advice, even though some of what she told him wasn't good, he still told her stuff that he wouldn't ever say in front of Ez or to Harrow. 

A bead of sweat drops from his brow onto his nose and he raises his arm to wipe it away. He curses himself once he notices his mistake. He was using his rune hand, which was worse than using his other hand. The mage sees Soren lift his sword and how Claudia pulls a bug out of her supply bag, readying herself in case of a strike from the prince. 

His questions before went unnoticed. He frowns seeing how Soren kept his silence during the whole confrontation. 

Callum needs to get back to his friends. He needs to tell them that they were found. That he was found and it was his fault that he was too dumbto be aware of his surroundings. 

He needs to get back to Rayla and the others. The elf would scold him during their escape. Callum wouldn't mind it. 

"Steady now, my prince," Claudia walks forwards and eyes him up and down. The boy’s face goes red. Callum wonders if he could use the water to his advantage. He knows some water spells. "Do you want to hurt me with your magic hands?" 

_Is she trying to charm me?_ The mage steps backward and wonders if he should do Fulmonis as a warning shot. Something to also call for help. He surely needs his butt saving now. _I should've had Rayla come with me. I should've listened to her._

"Oh, Callum, how much I _regret_ not going up against my dad to save you and Ezran. May I offer a hug in apology?" Claudia moves closer to him as he moves backward. He trips on a rock and lands on his butt. His eyes shot up to see the dark mage smiling gently at him but her eyes told him a different story. They were desperate. Charming him was a long shot and a risk that she made herself. 

Something caught her attention before she could advance closer to Callum. 

The current splashed water at his chest and some got into his mouth. He couldn't see but he could hear what's in front of him. Someone was telling him to get up, but he can't. His clothes were heavy on him. His feet felt numb in the freezing lake. 

A tug on his scarf lifted him. His legs ached. He barely kept on his own feet if it wasn't for a hand steadying him. 

He blindly looks in the direction of the person who holds him up by his scarf. White hair. Piercing lilac eyes showed rage and— fear. Was she worried about him? 

His mind wanders to his brother. Ez was probably worried sick for him, Rayla must've told him to stay at the cave. She wanted to save him for Ez. He convinced himself that she only showed her fear because she doesn't want to hurt Ezran. Makes sense. Callum would do the same for him. 

"What is the name of Xadia were you _thinking_!?" She hisses as she gives him a sideways glance. 

Callum blinks. His mind felt numb. He couldn't feel his legs. The water was freezing now. "We needed water." He mumbles sheepishly in which he was shoved to the side when a battle cry was heard from ahead of him. He could tell he landed in the water again. He felt it go in his mouth, tasting like sandy and fish poop. He struggled to lift himself but the rushing current would sweep him away then. 

He held still and kept his nose above water while trying to focus his hearing on the fight above him. He could hear swords clashing and yells were loud. The river was _louder_ though, like the banthers this morning. 

"Callum get _up_ and _move!_ " Rayla falls on her back beside him suddenly and gives him the mother of all death glares as she fights against the current to rise. She was strong, he knows that, but she was able to pull him up with her when the current wasn't making things easier for him otherwise. The girl looks at him for a second before raising one of her swords to him. "If you won't run then go back to your brother. I'll follow you after I deal with these buffoons again." 

"Hey, I am not a buffoon!" Soren bites back as he charges again. 

Callum shakes his head, she plays hero all the time, and yet she wouldn't let _someone else_ take over. Rayla is strong but she has limits too, they all do. Even in the cold freezing river, he can still fight and protect his friend. He isn't going to let her fight this battle alone, not anymore at least. 

"Ez can take care of himself, he showed that last night remember?" the mage waves his hand and draws the rune for _Aspiro_ , which he whispers and the force of the wind surprises Soren who was swept off his feet. "Besides, you got hurt the last time you fought these two alone. I am not about to let you fight this battle by yourself again." He casts a firebolt and blasted it at Claudia who deflected it with one of her eerie-looking dark spells. 

Rayla rolls her eyes as she steadies herself against the roaring current. "I remember just fine, Callum. You wear your heart on your sleeve too much ya know that right? It will get you killed one day!" 

"I know! He always carries his heart on his sleeve. He's too soft, even during sparring practice." Soren laughs as he turns to his sister who conjures up a spell that nearly misses Rayla by a hair’s width. "That’s what you liked about him right Clauds?" 

The dark mage's face flashes red as she loses her concentration on her next spell when she turns her head to give the knight a hard look. "Soren! You pinky promised never to tell anyone!" 

"Woops, must've slipped my mind." 

Claudia groans in annoyance and when she turns her attention back to the royal and the elf, she finds them running downstream, running with the current. She makes a sound of disappointment but a thought passes her as she remembers the map that showed the river from their location. It had raptors. Which, if the two runaways weren't careful, were waiting to give them a rude awakening. Knowing that if Claudia was able to convince the prince to take her hand, then she would be able to convince Ezran to return with her knowing that he would listen to his brother. 

Soren and her would let the elf drown and make up a story that the currents were too powerful for them to rescue in time. Ezran would believe her. He wasn't with the group. He was hiding somewhere. That elf knew his location. 

Callum would be a different case. Claudia had to charm him. She didn't like it but she knows it is her only option to get the boy to agree with her. Otherwise, he wouldn't listen if it means threatening the elf. 

"Come on! If we follow them, then we will have a chance to kill the elf and make it seem she died by accidentally getting swept under the current. Callum would be saved by us and we will get Ez and return to our dad! Happy times follow after!" as if reading her mind, Soren pumps his fists in the air as he rushes off after the two with his sword sheathed for now. 

Claudia follows him but kept herself closer to land. 

Big mistake. 

(She steps on an alligator’s egg and Soren had to leave his sword to help carry his stunned sister to safety.) 

\---[--]--- 

"You are an idiot." 

"Thanks for reminding me the first thousand times, Rayla. Really encouraging." the mage grumbles as he squeezes water out of his scarf. In truth, he deserves the constant reminders. He is an idiot. Rayla had saved his butt again and yet here he was with not even thanking her. Some idiotic friend he is. 

They were at the edge of the river behind some boulders and where the raptors were just starting. Rayla had pulled him out first before she followed since she seemed to be more experience with the rivers, plus she was stronger than him. He had seen her shiver as she glares at the river before backing away and slouching behind a huge rock, catching her breath as _he_ should do. But the shock was still present. The numbness and the aches in his legs were still there. 

They were lucky. _He_ was lucky. Rayla had followed him from a distance, hasn't she? She was making sure he was alright. 

She knew he wasn't quite aware of the dangers around him. Doesn't she trust him? 

_I need to get better at my surroundings. Otherwise, I won't learn from this._ He knows that his head and his heart weren't normally thinking the same ideas, but right now he could feel that Ezran wouldn't like hearing the news of his fate by Rayla. His _heart_ was thinking about his friends, mainly about Ezran. His _head_ was thinking about the fate that could've happened earlier if the elf hadn't intervened. It wasn't similar but it was similar enough for Callum. 

Harrow wouldn't have forgiven him if something were to happen to Ez. He knows that. It was his final wish. 

_"Take care of your brother_ . _" Harrow smiles before walking up to the door and open it. Seconds later there was a huge explosion as the door opens and Viren walks in wearing a cruel and demonic grin. "Vi-" The king never finished the sentence because a blue and orange flame hits him square in the chest and Callum could've sworn he heard the high mage yelling the spells for the dark wolves to follow him as the boy races to escape the castle and find Ezran._

Callum closes his eyes as he tries to push the memory out of his mind. He had made it. He found Ezran with the dragon egg and their emergency bags filled with supplies, cloaks, and extra clothes in case they had to leave through the tunnels. The mage remembers vomiting after they ran to the nearest city where they knew Viren's men wouldn't find them. That was when he vowed to keep his worries to himself. Ez was ten. Just a kid. No one deserves to know about such trauma that his older brother had to witness at such a young age. 

Ezran would know soon. He'll tell him when he thinks is the right time. Callum hopes that he isn't messed up in the head before then. He won't let his trauma impact his relationship with his brother. Hiding the news of their father’s fate was once again hurting him. Ezran will find out if his older brother doesn't tell him. Then Ez will hate him for not telling him. 

A hand pats his shoulder gently, and Callum looks up to see Rayla looking down at him in concern. When had she gotten up from her spot on the rock? He needed to focus on his surroundings more. "Hey, you okay? You look sorta out of it all of a sudden. Like there but unfocused." Thanks, Rayla. That was what he needed right now. 

But it was true. He hasn't been focused at all since day one of their journeys to return the dragon egg to its mother. He needed to be called out. It felt better coming from Rayla and not Ezran. 

_Do you think Ez would think less of you if he found out about you feeling unfocused?_ Callum groans in annoyance as he rubs to fingers above his temple. He doesn't need this question popping up in his mind right now. Rayla doesn't need to see him falter. Again. Another thing to add to this mess. 

He _doesn't_ need _another_ mess added to his list of failures. 

"I'm fine." He doubts it. That he's fine. He isn't but he wasn't about to tell her that. 

"Callum-" 

"Please, Rayla, I'm fine." The mage says weakly before his knees buckle underneath him. His knees hit the sharp edges of the rock and he winces in pain. "I'm _fine,_ " he repeats when Rayla puts her hands underneath his arms and pulls him up. He was sitting on the boulder that she had used before, but he finds himself unwilling to care at this point. 

The exhaustion of fighting the current was evident on his face, that Rayla crouches down and rips part of her sleeve off to wrap it around his knee. Callum's face glows red and feels uncomfortably hot when the elf looks up at him. Her white hair tangled up around her horns, her face flushed, her bare arm toned and muscular- He shifts his gaze away from hers, feeling the heat rising his neck and to his ears. 

The pain was bearable, almost unbearable seeing his blood on the sharp rock. 

Rayla's face turns a shade of pink on her cheeks and she stands while dusting her pants off. 

"Okay, I think we should continue our trek towards the nearest town where we can send a message to Ezran." She announces and the mage silently groans in protest. The elf eyes him hesitantly. Callum could feel her eyes burning through him. "Slowly. On _land_." She adds, no teasing in her tone. 

She's an assassin. Aren't they supposed to look ahead for danger? Which she isn't doing at the moment. 

"Hold onto me." She instructs him as she wraps an arm around his waist and pulls his other arm over her shoulder. Callum's side was pressed to hers and he thought his brain was going to explode. 

If Rayla seems bothered by this proximity to Callum, then she does a good job hiding it. 

The mage's heart thunders in his chest and he had to keep himself from blushing even more when his head fell onto her shoulder. The world was suddenly very spinny. Her shoulder was a lot softer than he first thought, knowing that she hadn't removed her armor at all, even for sleep. His head feels heavy. Were heads normally heavy compared to your skull? 

It doesn't make any sense. 

He closes his eyes. 

Callum reopens them, noticing that he was surrounded by forest and he was laying on something soft. His head was clear, more focused, but his knee _hurts_. 

"Awake finally." Rayla's voice snaps him out of his mind. She was above him. Tending a fire. 

Callum blinks. Weren't they near a river? How did they travel so fast? 

"You passed out during our escape from Claudia and Soren, so I carried you most of the way. It’s nearly dusk and-" Callum wasn't paying any more attention to her. Rayla had carried him? For how long? "… Ez messaged us to meet him there. He met a friend." 

What? Friend? 

The mage needs to pay attention more often. 

"Great, let’s go." He says as he pushes himself up into a sitting position and wipes leaves off his shirt and hair. Rayla gives him a hard look as if knowing that his mind was elsewhere already. "What?" 

"What's the town called?" 

"Uhhhh." 

Rayla clicks her tongue. "Caldera." With her jaw set, she adds, "You need to tell me what's been taking your focus for the past few days. It is worrisome. Not only to me but to your brother too." 

Callum flushes. His throat closes and his heart picks up the pace. The world seems to close in on him, like a hawk going in for the kill. He feels like the mouse that would surely become that hawk’s dinner. 

But he takes a deep breath, exhales slowly, and looks the assassin in the eyes. "I saw my father die at the hands of Claudia's father, Lord Viren. Ezran doesn't know about the king’s fate. I-I don't know how to tell him." he explains the first night and the reason why Viren wants the princes back: to make sure they don't leave the castle again, ever. 

_Viren also knows that Ezran has the egg. The kid is far too innocent to know what the lord's plans are._ Callum wanted to add but felt his mind start to wander down to places that welcomed him with nightmares and reminders of his trauma. 

Rayla looks at him, her ears drooping down a little as her face softens. She pulls him into an embrace. Her head lays on his as his face pressed between her neck and shoulder. 

He returns the embrace after a minute. 

Her hands rubbed circles on his back as he sobs into her. He sniffles against her leather armor. 

When did he start crying? Had he started tearing him without him noticing? 

What on earth was he doing? 

His multiple questions went unanswered. The mage lost his sense of control. The girl had unlocked the barrier that held him together. They kept him from breaking in front of his brother. What he thought kept him _strong_ was now _weak_. 

His arms held her tighter as he relaxes into her. No _, melts_ into her embrace. 

"I'm here with you. You can tell Ez when you're ready, but I don't know about you though, I think he'll understand why you couldn't tell him." Rayla pulls away from him with a gentle smile widening once she notices he was no longer crying. She wipes his tears away from his cheeks with a faint blush dusting her cheeks. 

"That was your first big _feelings time_ , Rayla," Callum mumbles weakly with a small chuckle escaping his lips. 

"What? Big feelings time?" The elf stares at him in confusion. 

"My family used to gather around and share their big feelings and once we were finished, people would say: _I hear you_. Pretty cool right?" 

"Sounds biased, but if it helps you then that’s all that matters," Rayla says, smiling even though she feels awkward at the concept of sharing feelings so easily to strangers. 

Callum is her friend. No stranger anymore. Neither is Ezran or his familiar that doesn't like her one bit. 

_One day at a time, Rayla._ She remembers Ethari telling her that when she was overwhelmed with training and schoolwork and parents. 

"Let us go find Ez. Maybe he's eating a house full of jelly tarts already without us knowing." Callum smiles, letting her go. 

The warmth leaves him. He finds himself feeling a certain degree better than he usually would be feeling after a mental breakdown. It was because of Rayla. 

He finds himself looking forward to learning a little more about her in the coming days. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, I will be updating this story again in two weeks. So until then, Is It Thursday Yet?


	5. The Search for Ez Part 2: The Meadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla: NOT MY TURN! I’M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO GRAB CALLUM AND SLINGSHOT HIM TOWARDS THE NEAREST LAKE FOR A WET YET SOFT LANDING!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I AM BACK! 
> 
> I am so sorry for not uploading this thing for a long time! Fucking, 2 months you almost had to wait! You can all blame my semester for that. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Big things happen. You all can yell at me for what happens. 
> 
> It may be a spoiler but, COMBAT! 
> 
> I'm going to tell you all something. Something I don't normally say when I didn't know how this chapter will go. 
> 
> Something that Matthew Mercer is so famously proud of: 
> 
> HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS? 
> 
> That's the theme of the chapter and the next. Sleep well tonight. I hope you all don't get nightmares when done reading this chapter. 
> 
> No, really, I don't.

Callum wasn’t going to avoid talking about this to Ezran anymore, not with the possibility of rumors circulating around Caldera. No more running. No more acting like a coward. Nothing can keep him from running away from his fears anymore.

Rayla stays behind him in case of an ambush, her panting quiet. Too quiet for Callum's liking. For someone who was a rogue all her life, she was doing her job swiftly. The girl had been watching his back throughout their escape from his supposed _childhood friends_. He was grateful for Rayla.

Callum didn’t want to stay to find out why Claudia had almost sent a dark magic spell _his_ way. He didn’t have time to question her. Rayla had wanted to leave. Deep in his heart, though his mind had come to a very quick conclusion that he didn’t want to do this, he wanted to go back home. With Soren and Claudia.

Ezran would stay with Rayla. Until Callum could figure out why the siblings were sent to bring them back. Ezran would be safe from Viren. Would he be safe though? The wizard refuses to think those terrifying thoughts.

“You’re thinking too loud.” Rayla lightly nudges his shoulder with hers as she walks up beside him.

“I am?”

“Yeah, what are you thinking about now?” the girl asks softly, turning her head to look forward and only looking at him when she was sure they weren’t going to walk into anything dangerous. She pulls him to a stop by his shoulders and turns him to her. "You have nothing to worry about. I'll help you if you need it."

For the first time in days, Callum smiles. A real smile that radiates through the tense air around them. And it was warm. His eyes bore truth.

Rayla smiles too, letting her hands fall to her side once more before turning around to lead him. That’s when her face colored red and her ears were uncomfortably warm. She won't think too much about these… warm feelings. Even though the temptation to seek out them were powerful and foreign to her, she won't. The mission comes first.

Though, her mind keeps telling her that Callum was the source. Of course, he was. He is a wizard who plays with fireballs.

Her cheeks redden. She _should_ have worded that thought better.

Callum doesn't pay her change of demeanor any mind as he walks beside her once more. He exhales a breath that he hadn't noticed he was holding.

"Thank you," he says, looking forward now as his eyes scan the horizon ahead of them. He pulls his scarf tighter against his neck to keep himself warm since it was still morning and his still-damp clothes were still clad against his body. He had long since stopped shivering from the cold, something which he was grateful for. "for everything you've done. We've only met a week ago, but I feel like I've known you for a lifetime."

Rayla eyes him from the side. She looks back to the front and watches silently as a meadow appears in front of them and the trees around them disappear. The meadow was surrounded by fresh green grass. A few leaves lay underneath the last few remaining trees that separated the forest from the meadow. A few deer were present, eating and attending to their young.

It was a beautiful sight.

Callum opens his mouth to speak but all sound deflated once he sees the rogue picking up some fruit, _milk fruit,_ and putting one in his hand. He stumbles in shock, rather from the sudden purple fruit in his hand or the fact that Rayla never bothered to ask him to hold it, he had no idea. He managed to alert the deer and a few of them ran off.

The boy's shoulders fall, stomach growls and one doe looks at him as if to say 'Don't you think about it' because he has a knife that he would use if he used up his spell slots for the day. Rayla, however, looks at him with a faraway look in her eye. The wizard looks at her, hesitating at first, before raising the fruit to his lips. It made his mouth water, anticipating the taste of the fruit that he (and his stomach) wanted to eat, to finally satisfy the hunger in the pit of his stomach.

But before he could chew the milk fruit, Rayla made a noise that startled him once again. Why does she keep doing that? 

"Stop." She hisses as he looks at her with mild annoyance. Can't he eat the fruit already? His stomach is hurting because of missing breakfast this morning. Not her fault, but it was his since he had opted to get water from the lake instead of waiting ten minutes for everyone to follow him.

_It wouldn't have allowed Claudia and Soren to sneak up on me then,_ The wizard thought guiltily as he looked at the rogue _. Then Ezran and I wouldn't be separated. Rayla too_. He adds the rogue to his thoughts. She's their friend. Of course, he would include her.

Rayla held out her hand in a stopping motion and her eyes were looking past the wizard’s head. Her eyes showed no fear, but surprise and she slowly kneels down on the ground with her hands in front of her. Her eyes were shining a little with an unreadable emotion, something that Callum would have to figure out later.

A beat passes. Then, the prince slowly turns his head to look behind him. His heart beats loudly in his ears. 

A fawn stands an inch or two to his left and was sniffing the fruit that he was holding out in his hands. Callum remained silent as he watched the little faun look at him with curious black eyes. The boy stares back, looking more curious than worried about the fawn potentially eating his wrists. 

The fawn walks forward, Callum could’ve sworn he heard Rayla gasp lightly behind him and snatches the milk fruit out of the boy's hand without ceremony. No teeth scraped the mage's hand but juice splatters on his face when the fawn ate a chunk of fruit on the ground beside him. It was disgusting. 

Rayla snorts at him and the fawn before standing up again. She dusts herself off with a look of amusement written on her face. 

“C’mon, we have a meadow to cross.” She told him, and he followed her lead out of the forest. 

The meadow wasn’t large but it was welcoming. Callum looks at the elf in front of him, notices how the sunlight streaming out of the clouds appears over her form. How her hair looks to be covered up by a halo of light. Even her skin was vibrant. 

The boy turns his attention to the sky. It was warming up and the meadow had dew covering the grass. 

It was breathtaking. 

Rayla turns around to face him with a curious look on her face. “Doing okay?” 

Why would she… oh? That. Callum should definitely pay attention to her more. Not her glowing, beautiful- he blinks. Ezran. She’s talking about his future conversation with Ezran. Not, anything else. Not that he was hoping to talk about anything. 

The mage clears his throat. “Y-yeah,” his voice cracks and he looks away from the elf. “I-I mean I _am_ going to be talking with my brother about our father- it's not like I’m nervous or anything!” 

He is. Nervous. 

Rayla doesn’t comment on his voice cracks or his stutters. She just nods and turns back around. Her hands were clutching her elbows rather anxiously. Was she nervous too? Scared? 

Vulnerable? Something that he knows she absolutely hates. Was she missing someone? Does she have any family?

He walks in step with her and forces his eyes to look ahead. He knows her so well that she doesn’t want people to worry about her. To notice her vulnerabilities. But he does. He worries cause she’s his friend. Even though it's almost been a week since they met… time doesn’t matter to him when he meets friends. Trust and respect matters to him the most. 

_Ezran feels the same about friends. He just can read them better._ The wizard thinks, fondly, as he imagines meeting up with his little brother again. Maybe he’s surrounded by jelly tarts? He hopes anyways. Ez does well with strangers but when he’s being followed by bad people… it makes Callum’s stomach twist in knots. 

“How long is this meadow, anyway?” he asks, hoping that changing the subject would decrease her anxiety and his nerves. 

It almost works. Almost. 

“A few miles more maybe,” Rayla responds, voice wavering slightly. “Could you cast detect magic? I hear a distant humming sound.” 

He nods and writes the runes for _Detect Magic_ and the glittery substance that usually defines the presence of magic glows to their left. Rayla looks at Callum in question when he narrows his eyes in the glittery substance’s direction. Something was watching them. 

Rayla’s ears perked up. “It's invisible.” she curses under her breath as she tries to get a subtle hint of what the creature looks like. Or even footprints? 

She sees subtle footprints on the ground but she remembers that the family of deer that occupied this place and she curses again. Callum whimpers right beside her. She looks at the wizard and puts a hand on his arm, keeping herself grounded for them both. She doesn’t want him to panic during a dangerous situation. What if Ez was with them? 

“Dark magic has summoned this invisible creature,” Callum mumbles after a minute of deep breathing. “And this guy looks like it's resistant to- Ray are your swords magical by any chance?” 

Rayla blinks and shakes her head. Those dark magic wolves she had fought off one time were resistant to her swords. She couldn’t pierce through them. 

Callum turns to where the creature lurks and this time he nearly shouts in surprise. “He’s looking at you, Rayla.” He whispers, gritting his teeth as the rogue looks at the direction of the invisible stalker. Looks like it's up to him. “Can you distract him?” 

The rogue nods and he watches as the creature makes its first move. The wind shift surprises Rayla and she is nearly slammed into the ground as it passes her. The elf looks at Callum with widened eyes and suddenly she is in the air above the wizard. 

  
  
  


DM: Rayla, you ended up getting a near miss from that last attack but the second hits. You were sent flying into the air. You take 14 points of bludgeoning damage. (she’s now 24/38)

Callum: Holy- okay I’m going to use my level one _jump_ spell on myself to catch her. 

DM: Okay please, roll a strength check in order to see if you can support her weight and won’t guarantee you crushing yourself. 

Rayla: How big do you think I am?! 

Callum: 6. 

Rayla: GOD DAMNIT CALLUM!

DM: You collide with her and now you both are falling. Rayla, you’re up!

Rayla: I wanna die. 

DM: Make a-

Rayla: NOT MY TURN! I’M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO GRAB CALLUM AND SLINGSHOT HIM TOWARDS THE NEAREST LAKE FOR A WET YET SOFT LANDING!

DM: Roll an acrobatics check since you’re doing this in the air.

Rayla: 18! FUCKING 18!

DM: .... You hit the water with a mighty PLOP! You’re going to be sore tomorrow bud.

Callum gets up from his spot in the pond and groans. He was outside the range that he could use a spell slot. The invisible stalker was restless but it could only get close to Rayla. His friend lands on the ground, groaning from the impact. Her head was spinning, he could see her looking at him funnily. 

DM: The stalker was out of range of you, Rayla. You could hear its grunting and frustrated growls as it sniffs the air for you. 

Rayla: I lie still. 

DM: Callum, your up. Rayla, you’re up next. 

Callum watches as Rayla lays on the ground, unmoving. His heart aches as he has no idea rather she is alive or dead. However, due to the creature's behavior, he concludes the latter. 

Callum: How many feet am I away from the creature? 

DM: You’re _just_ 149 feet away from it. Rayla is about 200 feet in front of you. 

_Perfect, I can use a fireball to burn it and have its attention on me,_ Callum thinks as he begins casting the spell. 

Callum: I will cast a third level fireball on the creature. 

DM: Okay roll for me.

Rayla: Please be a natural 20. Please be a natural 20.

Callum: NATURAL 20! 

DM: it… hits. Roll for damage. 

Callum: 20. 

DM: As you cast the fireball at the invisible creature, you could hear a loud screeching noise coming from above you. It was loud but you could hear the creature grunt painfully. You couldn’t tell but you burnt one of its eyes. Even when it’s invisible, it still has sight. 

Rayla: oh crap it's my turn. 

Callum looks at her as she gets up and turns towards him. He was half expecting her to use her strength to get run away towards a shelter but…

Rayla: I yell at the monster to follow me. What do I have to lose? 

DM: Charisma check that.

Callum prays that she rolls low so he wouldn’t see his friend get attacked again. Her arms were scraped up to her shoulders- his thoughts were racing as was his heart as Rayla looked up at the monster and screamed at it to follow her. 

Rayla: 17. 

DM: The creature growls at you and begins to prowl towards you. You hear a stomping sound. That was your action correct?

Rayla looks at Callum and gives him a thumbs-up, in which he facepalms. _Why did he have to fight with someone who sees her life as nothing but a rag doll?_ He thinks as he prepares for his next spell. He holds his breath as the creature sounds to be getting ready to attack her again. 

DM: the creature slams into you with all it has. It’s angry because its eye hurts and it’s taking its frustrations out on the closest target. I need you to make a dexterity saving throw, please? 

Rayla: Okay. 14. 

DM: You receive 7 points of bludgeoning damage. Your legs were swept out from under you and you ended up landing on your ankle. 

Callum feels fear creeping into his heart as he notices that he was too far away to get to her or to distract the stalker. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that he could use a lightning bolt to distract the monster and use an opportunity attack spot to get into range. 

He sees Rayla favoring her left ankle as the invisible monster growls nearby. 

Callum: I use _Mirror Image_ on myself again and start running over to Rayla. 

DM: You just want to get hit don’t ya? Roll for me. 

Callum: 10. 

DM: *deep breath* the stalker looks at your duplicates with an unamused look. You can’t see its face but its kind of like when Viren looks at Soren whenever his son speaks. 

Callum cringes and Rayla glares at him. 

DM: So you ran 30 feet and used up that action. Rayla times up. What are you going to do?

The rouge looks unstable and her face filled with pain as she tries getting up, accidentally using her right ankle in the process. She looks at the wizard’s duplicates. Anything to find an opportunity to escape from this beast. 

She glances at Callum. His face mirrors her with exhaustion and sweat. 

Rayla: How far are we to the forest? 

DM: about 25 feet behind you. 

Rayla: I dash towards the tree line and hide behind a boulder. 

DM: Roll for stealth. 

Rayla: 16!

Callum’s breath hitches as her shadow shows her location and the creature roars in outrage. 

DM: The sun doesn’t help you. Your shadow shows off your location. The creature lurches forwards through the forest and you can hear the crushing of rubble and debris as it moves trees out of its way. It uses its slam against the boulder and it cracks in half, making you vulnerable to attacks. 

Callum: I want to perform a reaction! 

DM: Wha- Okay! Go for it! 

Callum: I cast _Lightning Bolt!_

DM: You know the drill! 

Callum rushes over to where the growling monster was and casts his spell. He mutters a quick prayer and unleashes white-hot electricity from his fingers. His eyes glow blue during this duration. 

Callum: 19! 

DM: *grinning* it hits! Damage? 

Callum: 29, baby! 

DM: the creature gives a screeching cry and it quiets for a moment. 

Callum’s grin falters. _Uh oh._ If the creature is pissed, then the silence doesn’t help both him and Rayla. Adding the fact that it was invisible also! 

DM: It falters for a bit and the tension seems to make it very wary of you. The creature gives a final screech at you both before you hear wings flapping and silence overcomes you again. 

  
  
  


Callum falls to his knees as he struggles to figure out what the heck just happened. Did they win? The monster was gone? At least for now. He struggles to keep his emotions at bay as he glances at Rayla who was looking at him with widened eyes. 

“When did you learn those spells?” she asks when he walks over to her and offers his hand for her to take. 

“My mom gave me spellbooks when I was a small boy,” Callum says and puts an arm over his shoulder, a way to tell her that she could lean on him. “Where is this Caldera again?” 

Rayla bites back a groan as they begin to move, slowly but surely, towards the direction of the town. “Up ahead, not a mile closer.” She grunts as she lays her head against his arm. “Can we slow down? I need to rest.” 

“No, don’t fall asleep Rayla. Stay with me!” _I really need to advance my knowledge in healing spells._

Rayla rolls her eyes and grumbles a little. “We should try to find a place where we can take a long rest.” She suggests as they stumble along a tree and a path. Callum recognizes it now. They were close. Six thousand feet closer that is. 

“Not now, Ray. We have to get to safety first.” 

“You’re safe, though. You saved me when my weapons were useless against the creature.” She mutters a response, slurred with exhaustion. “When did you start shortening my name? Tis nice.” 

Callum didn’t hold back a smile as he pulled them along the path towards the village-town. He wouldn’t let her see how red she makes him either. Just that small question sent him spiraling again. Was today getting hotter? 

“We’ll get you to a healer, Ray. I won’t let you die thinking you have nothing to stand with. You have me, Ez, and the Dragonborn egg. Four if you count Bait.” He spoke softly to her that he was afraid that she didn’t hear it. 

She did and smiled loopily at him. “I have you, tis right.” her eyes fell for a minute before she opened them again, startled that she fell asleep. 

“Hey, we’re almost to Caldera. You can do it, Rayla.” the wizard encourages her as she leans more heavily against his side. “Once we see a healer, you can rest all you want.” 

“Promise?” She asks, weakly looking at him through tired eyes. 

“I do,” Callum promises and together they walk down the path, hurrying towards the one place that could reunite them with their companion and save one of their friends as well. 

“Hey! You need help?” A voice startles both of them out of the silence they were traveling in. The voice came from ahead of them. The sound of huffing was heard, and Callum could only hope that it wasn’t the invisible stalker coming back for round two. 

“State ya business!” Rayla yells, making Callum flinch and nearly cause them both to fall over. He catches himself and pulls the rogue tighter against him. 

“Really? You try to act intimidating in your condition? Ava, do you think we should help this lady out when she’s being mean to us?” 

A dog barks and a girl comes into view- riding on the dog’s back. Half-wolf? Husky? Callum wasn’t sure, but those types of questions could be asked later when Rayla isn’t close to passing out. 

“She’s just tired from the fight and grumpy about being hurt. I promise you she isn’t like this normally.” The wizard tries to say but Rayla makes a snarky comment at him for calling this her abnormal behavior, when in fact that this was her normal behavior when she doesn’t get a nap in. 

“I’m kidding about leaving you guys! You guys can take a ride on my sweet girl, Ava, here. I’ll walk beside you!” The girl says as she jumps off her dog’s back and walks over to them, the dog following closely. “Actually, Ava knows the way back to Caldera! She can take you there. Your friend looks bad.” 

“Hey Callum, looks like we have a doctor over here!” Cries Rayla in her most ‘done’ tone ever mixed with sarcasm. Callum rolls his eyes, choosing to ignore her for the first time since they met. Based on her change of tone, Rayla must be choosing to be sarcastic to disguise what she truly feels. 

“That’s the most sarcasm I heard in a week! Could you teach me some of that?” The girl asks but Callum makes a noise that has her turning to him. “Oops, got distracted by this cool lady! Ava, lay down!” she then motions for the wizard to climb on. 

It was difficult when you had a history of being clumsy, and when you have a friend in your arms. Rayla moans in pain as Callum sits down behind her and presses her back to his chest while holding Ava’s collar for leverage. The elf’s horns were slightly stabbing him in the shoulder, but he didn’t care. He wants his friend awake. 

They left the girl behind to walk on her own, and Callum wanted to walk beside her since that creature is still alive. But they made it to Caldera in good timing and Rayla was able to get to a healer before she passed out in his arms. He promises her when she wakes up that they would take a long rest and resupply on food and other items for travel. 

After they find Ezran, of course. His brother is of the utmost importance at the moment. 

They don’t realize, at first, that the druid was closer and yet far enough away that they won’t be able to see him anytime soon. 

They find Bait first. 

***

Here's the information on this chapter's encounter: [Invisible Stalker!](https://delicatedragons-ao3.tumblr.com/post/642844963124789248/invisible-stalker)

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it Thursday Yet?


	6. The reckoning and the haunting reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lest we left off, the dragang had run into trouble. Callum had gone to the lake to refill water skins for the others and the children of Viren, Claudia, and Soren, found him. During a tense conversation with the siblings, the wizard had lost his grounding far quicker than he thought. His rogue companion came to his aid, and they made a hasty escape to separate themselves from the siblings and that made the stretch between them and Ezran, bigger. After a fierce battle with an invisible being, Callum took a seriously injured Rayla to a village called Calder, and meet a ranger named Ellis. They took a long rest and they find themselves reuniting with their druids familiar during the long rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man was this chapter fun to write! It is not only my favorite but its my longest chapter ever written for this story. 
> 
> A warning for this chapter; 
> 
> Don’t read the combat round if you have a fear of ghosts or had a loved one deal with possession. I’m serious about the possession part. Evil spirits will make you do questionable stuff. 
> 
> With that said, I marked it *** at the begining and at the end! Just to be safe.

Lest we left off, the dragang had run into trouble. Callum had gone to the lake to refill water skins for the others and the children of Viren, Claudia, and Soren, found him. During a tense conversation with the siblings, the wizard had lost his grounding far quicker than he thought. His rogue companion came to his aid, and they made a hasty escape to separate themselves from the siblings and that made the stretch between them and Ezran, bigger. After a fierce battle with an invisible being, Callum took a seriously injured Rayla to a village called Calder, and meet a ranger named Ellis. They took a long rest and they find themselves reuniting with their druids familiar during the long rest. 

Now… 

* * *

  
  


Ellis is a strange name. Though, not an ugly name either. Rayla watches her from her bedside as the girl and her wolf-dog companion work on a bow of sorts. The brown of the girl's hair looks like dark chocolate in the sun. 

Callum had gone out a while ago, looking for work to earn a few coins so they can get supplies later on. He wouldn’t take long. Simple commissions would do. Rayla had wanted to follow but the healers told her to rest since her long rest isn’t completed yet. The wizard promises her that he’ll be back before sundown. 

It's getting close to sundown. A few hours away maybe. 

Anxiety swells up within the elf’s chest and she closes her eyes for a moment or two, focusing on deep breathing. She reopens them to see the wolf-dog, Ava, running out of the room with her tongue out and tail wagging. Minutes later, a floating glow-toad appears in the doorframe, and Ava looks too proud of herself. 

Rayla’s eyes water. Why does a stupid glow toad make her feel emotional? She would like to know as she watches Bait float over to her. His glowing turns orange and his stubby tail shakes in excitement. Was he happy to see her? Was she getting teary-eyed seeing a glow toad? 

_ Bait is Ezran’s familiar.  _ Rayla remembers as her eyes widen. Her heart leaps as the toad lands near her arms and nudges them over to him.  _ Since when was Bait so happy to see me? The last time I was with Ez, Bait couldn’t stop grumping at me.  _

The little girl turns around once she hears a sniffle and some ruffling. Ellis smiles warmly at the familiar and his companions' friend reuniting at last. Ava seems to enjoy the sight too. Her tail thumps hard on the wooden floor in excitement. 

“You found her, Bait. Want me to get Ez?” Ellis asks, and Rayla looks at her as if she was asking for a book to flip over. “Okay, I’ll send Ava to get him!” 

“Could she get Callum too?” Rayla hates how her voice dries the minute the girl makes eye contact with her. “He just- umm.” her face heats up when a grin spreads across the girl’s face. “He promised to be back by sundown and it nearly-” 

“Ava will find him. Don’t worry.” Ellis says, winking at her before picking up her bow and arrows and slinging them around her back. “I’ll go out to find them myself.” 

“What if I need help?” 

Ellis gives her an amused look before pointing at the glow toad familiar in the rogue's arms. “Bait’ll help ya!” she says almost too cheerfully as Ava lowers for her to get on safely. 

Rayla watches the ranger leave the room while closing the door. Her heartbeat rises when Bait looks at her with so much pain and sadness that it makes the girl curl the familiar closer to her chest. He knows her pain. He can sense it. Or well, at least she thinks he can. 

Together, they wait for their companions to return. 

* * *

  
  


Rayla had no reason to fall asleep. Not when your friends are still out there. Or at least, she thinks. Bait was still tucked into her side as the familiar grumps at her for lifting her arm. It was warm! 

The room was empty still. Chairs were neatly arranged at the tables and the tables themselves were cleaned. Had Ellis returned and never bothered to wake her up? 

The elf's hair falls over her shoulder as she gets up. Her eyes sharpened in the darkening room. Her darkvision is kicking in already? It must’ve been way past sunset then. Beside her, Bait moves and floats to her eye level. He gives her a rather rude look and turns around to float out of the room. Rayla, feeling strong and healthy once again, follows him. 

She hears children's voices and one that she has grown fond of during the last couple of days (although she doesn’t like admitting it to herself) talking in the kitchen. They seem to be having food too and the smell made the girl’s stomach growl. Her face turns red in embarrassment as the voices die down. Then, a chair moves. 

She shakes out of her embarrassment before looking up to see Callum walking towards her with a frown. She rolls her eyes. He’s going to ask if she’s feeling okay or some other unnecessary worrying. But she finds herself feeling fine with it. He has a right to ask questions in regards to her health. 

He almost watched her die today. 

“Hey,” he greets, holding her elbows and guiding her towards the room. His eyes were red and pink and her heart shattered at the thought of him crying again. Had he talked with Ezran about his- their father? “Why are you up? You hungry?” 

“Starving,” Rayla answers as he lets her go to grab a chair at the table and a plate. He helps her to her seat and a little boy walks in carrying a Dragonborn egg, Ez. “Hey Ez. Long time no see.” 

“Rayla!” He yells and dives into her arms after setting the egg down on the floor near a heater. 

Rayla looks up at Callum who hasn’t moved once since Ezran came in and tilts her head in concern. The wizard gives her a look that screams ‘I’ll tell you later’ before he leaves to grab a bowl of stew and a big chunk of bread. The girl noticed his shoulders were tense and he was fighting back tears. 

Ellis comes in and silently helps Callum with the stew since the older boy couldn’t quite function with falling tears. Ezran, in Rayla’s arms, was clueless as to why his brother was crying. Bait grumbles, unhappily, at Ez and he shakes his head. The familiar looks were worn and broken at that answer. 

“I missed you,” Ezran whispers as he lets out a sniff. 

“Same here, kid,” she responds quietly as he pulls away. 

Callum walks stiffly around the boy and Ez gives him a weird look before walking over to the egg again. The older boy gives Ellis a thankful look as she places the food in front of Rayla. The food smells good but seeing Callum nearly in tears makes her lose her appetite almost instantly. Instead, nerves and worry tie her stomach into knots. 

“What’s wrong?” The rogue keeps her voice quiet and calm while glancing at Ezran. 

Callum turns to face Ellis and the girl nods with a look of encouragement. “Ez… doesn’t know who I am,” he confesses looking away from the elf and sits back into his chair beside her. He places his head in his arms and bites back a sob. “My little brother… doesn’t know me at all.” he whimpers. 

Rayla looks at Ezran again and tilts her head. “Have you tried any healing spells?” she asks, side glancing at the ranger while keeping an eye on the boy. 

Ellis nods her head almost regretfully. “I did. It seems that whatever magic caused him to forget his brother, is refusing healing spells too.” 

_ This day just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?  _ The rogue sighs in frustration.  _ Not only did we reunite with Ez, but we also left him to get his memories of his brother taken away. Just keep giving us bad news.  _

“We need to find somebody who knows magic more than we do,” Callum suggests quietly and Rayla keeps herself from putting her hand in his. Not the time. “Maybe we’ll know more then.” 

Ellis nods in agreement. “I’ll come with you. You probably should have someone who knows the mountains up here in Caldera. The monsters are far creepier at night than in the day. Hence, I know where to go about them.” 

“You know where to find a healer or somebody who knows magic?” Callum perks up a little and the rogue feels her mouth twitch. 

“Right I do! I’m friends with another elf name, Lujanne. I trust her to find a way to heal Ezran.” Ellis chirps out the answer and Ezran gives them a confused look. Rayla waves at him and he waves back, face brightening his confusion away. “Shall we move now or in the morning?” 

At that moment, Rayla finds her appetite back and picks up the bread in her hands. “Let's wait until we have light. We don’t know the terrain and if monsters are prowling around there, then we should stay put and wait until we know what we’re dealing with,” she says, chewing on the bred before dunking it in the stew. “Plus, I think we all should get some rest,” she adds, looking over at Callum who stares back with eyes dulling before blinking the dullness away after awhile. 

Ellis nods and picks up the empty plates and gets down to dishes as Ezran goes over to help her. Rayla finishes her dinner and stands up. A hand lays itself on her arm and she turns to face the wizard who looks sheepishly at her. 

“I don’t want to be alone tonight. I doubt Ezran wants to be with me anyways.” He looks bashful and refuses to look at her even as his cheeks turn a deeper shade of red. “Bait will protect him. He always does.” 

_ Dummy.  _

Rayla places another hand on top of him and smiles gently at him. “I’ll sleep on the floor. I had enough sleep to last me for a while. You deserve some sleep after today's encounter.” she advises as they walk towards the bedrooms where she was occupying. Her face feels like it was an oven. Not good timing. 

“No,” Callum shakes his head when she whirls around to meet his gaze. “The bed is far big enough for the both of us to lay on. We won’t be touching.” He turns his head away from hers as they make it to her room. 

Rayla wasn’t about to argue anymore. Callum has enough stuff in his head right now. He doesn’t need this argument to fuel any more anxieties he may have. She was exhausted still and that hot bowl of stew made her extra sleepy. The wizard would probably be sleeping by the time she gets herself to sleep. 

No watches tonight. Ellis and Ava are taking care of it. 

“Do you need to change into anything?” Callum asks, turning around so that she is looking at his back. “Cause I can stay looking at this wall for some time. If you need me to anyways- whatever makes you comfortable-” 

“I’m going to sleep in my clothes. Do you need to change, mister wizard?” Rayla teases him. 

“Uh, no! No, umm just thought I’d ask.” with that said, Callum lays on the other side of the bed where Rayla hasn’t occupied yet. His back was turned from her but she could tell that he was trying to be a gentleman about it. “Goodnight, Rayla,” he whispers, turning his head slightly to look at her and she smiles when she gets herself settled in on her side. 

“Goodnight, Callum.” She whispers back and relaxes in the soft bed. 

She falls asleep almost instantly and awakes only to find her wizard friend shaking in his sleep. 

* * *

  
  


Callum was crying on the other side of the bed. His face scrunched beneath the pillows as he tried to keep the sobs contained from his sleeping friend. 

“Callum, come here.” Rayla’s sleepy voice was cute. She sits up in bed and opens her arms. “Come here and let me hug you,” she commands gently as he shuffles closer to her on the bed. 

This was not what friends do, right? They weren’t supposed to be overly affectionate like this… right? 

Callum didn’t let those questions stop him from letting Rayla wrap her arms around him and sigh. She pats his hair with gentle touches and it… feels relaxing. To be vulnerable this way. She was warm and he tucked himself even more in her side and laid his head down on her breastbone. It feels intimate. Friends cuddle right? Maybe best friends do. Are they best friends? 

“Goodnight.” Rayla’s sleepy, slurry, voice went not unnoticed by Callum and his heart fluttered when her hands lay in his hair. 

“Night, Ray.” He feels his body relaxing and sleep welcomes him again. 

* * *

  
  


The morning was here before they knew it. The two companions decided that they weren’t going to speak about the nightmares nor the unnecessary cuddling that went on last night. It was just going to distract them. 

Rayla hurried to get her face washed, knowing that she needed a way to cool it down. Callum hadn’t looked at her during breakfast. Instead, he focused on his food. She should do the same as well. They would need all the energy they could get. To figure out why Ezran couldn’t remember Callum. 

The boy in question was staring at his pancakes too, looking lost in the moment. His eyes were covered by his shadow. It was eerie. Ez wasn’t even looking at Bait. Which was so unlike Ezran. 

Ellis walks into the room and sits down beside the young boy who snaps out of his facade and smiles at her. The girl looks at Rayla instead of reciprocating the smile. Her smile was forced. Had she known what happened to Ez and didn’t bother telling them? 

“Callum, I need to tell you something- in private please,” the young girl says, turning her head back to the rooms and picking up her biscuit. “Not now, but soon. It’s about Ez.” 

“What about me?” All heads turn towards the boy who looks weirdly at them. “Is something wrong with me?” 

_ Yes, something is wrong with you!  _ Rayla wanted to say it, to confirm it, but she couldn’t find the strength to do so. Not when Callum was in the room, and when they have no clue what’s causing it. They’d have to figure out until Ez does something- dangerous. Something that he wouldn’t do otherwise. 

“You’re fine, Ez.” Ellis chirps out a lie and gives Callum a look that says  _ Hurry up and help me _ . The wizard clears his throat and stands while facing his brother or perhaps Not-Ez. “We just need to plan on our travels more.” 

“I can confirm,” Callum replies, not eyeing Not-Ez, and follows the ranger to the bedrooms where they had their equipment. 

It left Rayla, Bait, and Ava with the young Druid. Total silence welcomes them. Awkwardly, the rogue clears her throat and stops the nerves from tilting her already anxious brain even more downward. She wishes somebody was near other than a companion and a familiar. She was alone with the unknown. Ezran wasn’t himself and Rayla wishes that Callum would have done a  _ Detect Magic  _ around the vicinity of the cabin. It would use up a spell slot but it was a risk they’d have to take at time point. 

“You don’t think anything’s wrong with me, do you Rayla?” The little boy looks at her with big blue eyes and she had to look back down at her plate to not give herself away. She needs to force herself to relax. Calm. Everything is fine. “Do you Rayla? I’m fine right?” He asks again, this time though his voice had an edge to it. 

“Yeah, you’re fine. Completely healthy!” she responds weakly, not looking up when she hears footsteps walking up to her. To anyone walking past, they’d think she was about to get scolded by a ten-year-old. But she knows it was too good to be true. Her heart races when she feels the air turn cold. 

***

“I don’t know if I should believe you.” Ezran’s voice was cold as the temperature in the room. “You’re scared.” He comments as he grabs a chair and sits down next to the girl. “You don’t have to be scared, Rayla.” He reassures her but the girl doesn’t fall into the trap. She couldn’t. Not when Callum and Ellis were trying to figure the whole thing out. 

“I’m not scared.” The rogue snorts side-eying the Druid and looks past his head at the door without him knowing. She curses herself when he follows her gaze and turns around. He looks to be in thought as she quickly looks back down at her (now cold) biscuit and toast. 

Ez faces her again. This time, he was wearing a grim look. Unusual for him. Something that was rarely seen by him during their journey. 

“You’re afraid of me? Your hands are trembling underneath the table. It feels uncharacteristic even for someone like you.” He points out, calmly, and acting less like the little boy she left at the cave to look for the wizard. 

The cave. Dang, it. She’s been so caught off guard that she hadn’t figured out that Ezran may have wondered about his encounter. Well, him and Bait, but that doesn’t matter. It was him who had to go through that on his own. What happened to him? Why was Bait so frightened and relieved to see her and Callum? 

Ellis hadn’t said a word about Ezran’s condition when he arrived. Surely, she must be doing so now. With Callum. The boy has spell slots open thanks to the long rest they took earlier. Before things started heading south. 

Rayla shivers at the tension radiating between her and Ez. The air turns freezing and she feels her feet starting to grow cold from the equally freezing floor. 

The boy who sits next to her, eying her with great interest, begins to talk about it. “You know, Rayla, Ezran hasn’t been himself with you around. He feels like a poor boy compared to you.” 

_ This isn’t true. Ez wouldn’t say things like this!  _ Rayla closes her eyes, trying to remain calm amongst the anxiety building up in her chest. 

“I took his brother's memories so that Ezran can unlock his potential. Now he’s under my control.” Not-Ez says and smiles crookedly at her. “You don’t have it in you to hurt young sweet Ez. Even when the moment comes. You’ll slip and fall into my grasp.” As he says this, Bait croaks and Ava barks loudly. 

Rayla is shaking in her boots, literally. Her whole body feels locked and she realizes that her body has gotten taller and her life has been altered 40 years. Her eyes were sharper and her hair and horns were longer. Her clothes feel uncomfortably tight. 

It hit her then. She’s frightened and has aged up by 20+ years. She gulps. 

“Now you see? This is what happens when you don’t believe in your friends.” Not-Ez says smiling. 

DM: Rayla, you’re frightened for 45 more seconds, you aren’t able to move to any spot. What are you going to do? 

Rayla: I toss Bait my sword and tell him “Get the dumb Wizard.” 

DM: Roll for animal handling since Bait is familiar and is also… an animal. 

Rayla: 11. 

DM: You manage to get your weapon out of its sheath and toss it onto the ground where Bait grabs it and does what you told him to do. 

Rayla watches as the glow toad goes for the hallway and tries to run past Ezran. The boy looks down at his familiar and casts  _ Gust of Wind.  _

Bait falls onto his back when he slammed into a cabinet near the entranceway of the kitchen. The glow toad watches the sword slide out of his reach and then disappears from view. 

Rayla yells in surprise when Callum emerges from the entrance with Ellis close behind him. The wizard turns to see the rogue older and taller sitting with Ezran. The older boy raises an eyebrow but shakes his head as if to remind himself that he’ll ask questions later. He won’t admit it, but the rogue was cute even though she was aged up against her will. He wonders what  _ he’ll  _ look like in the future?

DM: Callum, you walk in and see a ghostly figure emerge beside Ezran. Your brother's face is emotionless and that your friend has been aged up by forty years. What do you do?

Callum looks at Rayla and at the ghost that stares back at him. His heart pounds at the thoughts of the plans that he and Ellis had come up with. 

Callum: I’ll cast a Detect magic because I really don’t know if I’m fucking seeing things or what. 

DM: Okay roll for me. 

Callum: 18. 

DM: You see a faint bright light radiating off Ezran and the magical creature within five feet of him. 

Callum feels his heart stop at that. He looks at Rayla instead and she gives him a worried look. She has the right to be worried for him. She was her friend. But also Ezran too. 

“Ah, the little wizard went to the market and needed protection from a ten year old. This is amusing.” Ezran laughs, while Callum’s face turns red. “What are you going to do? Kill me? Harm your little brother? My, Prince Callum, what would Harrow think about this?” 

Rayla shoots not-Ez a glare and Ellis raises her longbow at the ready. The rogue’s eyes went wide in understanding. 

“Callum, don’t let this thing get into your head!” Rayla yells, as Ezran looks at her with an uncharacteristic snarl. 

“I think I will get into your head next!” He growls. 

DM: Ellis, your up!

Ellis: I’m going to use my longbow on Ez and already rolled for it! 22!

DM: Roll for damage! 

Ellis: 5! 

Rayla watches as Ezran screams in pain as an arrow is lodged into his thigh. He angrily pulls the arrow out of his thigh and snaps it with a hand. 

Ezran turns to the wizard. He pulls out his sling and pops a stone in. Callum’s eyes were wide and stumbled backwards as the stone hit him straight in the chin. 

“Really Callum? You stumble because of a wee stone?” Rayla grumbles quietly, but the wizard hears her and glares. 

“I was surprised!” Callum cries.

DM: Rayla, your condition has been gone for five minutes, what are you going to do!

Rayla: I’m doing some slish-slashing on Not-Ez!

Callum: We’re really calling it that?

Ellis: Do you have a better name for it?

DM: Roll for that!

Rayla: Guys, focus! 21!

DM: Hits, damage?

Rayla: 8!

DM: Ezran’s current HP is 14 out of 27. As a reminder, you’re currently trying to figure out what’s possessing him. Rayla, when you attacked, you accidentally stabbed him close to a lung. He uses his action to move away from you and out of range of Ellis’s arrows. 

Rayla doesn’t look at Callum when he steps close to her. His breath was shallow and she wanted to wrap him up in her arms and never let go. But they have to focus. For Ezran. 

This battle was done for if Callum does the finishing blow. 

“Ezran will forgive you, Cal.” She whispers gently to him instead and he looks at her. He stares into her eyes as he casts  _ fireball  _ and throws it at Ezran without looking at his brother. “Keep looking at me.” She tells him as she grabs his hands and gives them a gentle squeeze. 

DM: Callum, what did you roll?

Callum: 12. 

DM: Do you want me to roll for damage? 

Callum shakes his head. His blinks back tears as picks up the damage dice. 

Callum: 31.

DM: I don’t think I am needed here. 

The wizard falls to his knees as his brother falls on the ground, unmoving. Rayla watches as the ghost appears above Ezran’s body. 

Ellis appeared next to them and her eyes went wide. Her face shows calm but her fingers were shaking. She places a comforting hand on the wizards shoulder. 

Ezran is currently unconscious. His body was covered in burns and stab wounds. It was a frightening sight. One that Ellis did not want to see anymore of. 

Ellis: I’m going to use my longbow and hit this ghost that hurt my friend! 

Rayla: YEAH!

DM: You know it! Roll.

Ellis: 15! 

DM: Hits!

Callum watches as the arrow pierces the ghost in the cheek and a howls ghostly sound was heard coming from above his brother's body. 

Ellis: 9. 

DM: Unfortunately, this ghost only takes half damage from piercing damage since its resistance to it. Same with slashing damage. 

Rayla: I DON’T CARE IF IT TAKES HALF DAMAGE I AM KILLING IT! 

DM: … Rayla its the ghost’s turn…

Rayla: GOD DAMMIT!

DM: The ghost looks at you, Rayla, as you had threatened its lifeless life again. It hovers over to you and performs a withering touch. You take 16 points of necrotic damage. 

Rayla: NOW I CAN TAKE THIS BITCH DOWN!

DM: Roll for it!

Rayla picks up her sword and flicks it at the ghost with a growl of frustration and anger. 

Rayla: 26! 

DM: That’s a critical hit! Damage?

Rayla: …

Callum: You rolled an 8 didn’t you and thus have to-

Rayla: Don’t you dare say the H word!

DM: Ezran is unconscious still. He’s out of range from any damage the ghost could give him. Callum, what are you going to do?

Callum looks at Rayla and winces at her very pissed off look and flicks an  _ Ice knife  _ at the ghost. It hits and the ghost growls at the cut that only gave it two points of piercing damage. 

Rayla: HalF DaMaGe!

Callum: Aren’t you 46 years old because of this thing?

Rayla:.... 

DM: Come on guys, you’re almost there. Ellis, what are you doing!

Ellis: I’m going to use my longbow again! Since I never thought of fighting a ghost today nor do I have any combat spells prepared!

Rayla: Son of a- 

Callum: Language!

Ellis: 14 and 4 points of damage!

DM: Hits and the creature doesn’t enjoy this game its losing. The ghost goes over to Callum and touches him on the chest. It misses. Just slightly knicks you but not enough to give you damage. 

Callum glares at the ghost and Rayla pushes him out of the way. She punches the ghost in the chin (or what it looks like a chin) with the butt of her blade. The creature looks unimpressed while nursing its ghostly jaw after taking two points of slashing damage. 

Callum: Let’s chill. 

Rayla: Oh no.

Callum: I will cast  _ Chill Touch  _ on the ghost! 

DM: It hits! Damage?

Callum: 6 but 3!

Ellis: Uh, do I need to say this again? I’m going to hit with with an arrow.

DM: Just hits?

Ellis: My face gives me away doesn’t it. 3 points of damage. 

Rayla looks at Ezran’s body and thinks of getting him but the ghost had other plans for her. It moved towards her but the effect of possession didn’t affect her. She had succeeded her charisma saving throw. The ghost makes a howling noise as its in a tough place. The rogue smirks at its unsuccessful attempts. 

She uses both swords and hits the ghost both times and thanks the ghost with eight points of slashing damage. With a final shriek, the ghost evaporates in the air and the room temperature rises to its normal level. The rogue drops her swords and rushes over to Ezran as Ellis does the same. 

Callum looks around for any sign of more ghosts and then follows the girls to where his brother lays. His heart drops when he sees Ezran’s pale skin. 

“I performed  _ Cure Wounds  _ and Ezran has five HP points added. We should see a healer.” Ellis says but Callum couldn’t hear her. All he knows is that  _ Ezran is alright.  _

***

The wizard wipes his eyes and just cries in relief as he kisses his little brother's hair. 

“Y-yeah, lets go.” Callum agrees and helps Ellis pick up the Druid while keeping in mind of his wounds. Rayla walks up to Callum and gives his arm a quick squeeze before letting go. 

The egg glows violently in the corner as Ellis’s companion lays down beside it. 

“I use  _ Lesser Restoration _ on Rayla, too. So she doesn’t look like my grandma.” 

“Wow,  _ thanks _ Ellis.” 

* * *

Notes: 

Initiative: Ghost (19), Rayla (18), Ezran (15), Callum (13), and Ellis (9). 

**Health points for characters:**

Rayla (Rogue): 58/74 

Ezran (Druid): 5/27

Callum (Wizard): 38/42

Ellis (Ranger): 52/52

Chapter’s encounter:  [ https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/ghost ](https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/ghost)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A summary is down below in case people chose to skip the combat. 
> 
> Ghost takes half damage since it's resistant to fire, lightning, non-magical slish-slashing, piercing damage, and necrotic damage. This combat round would take eight to nine rounds to complete. 
> 
> Ezran was possessed by the ghost when he arrived in Caldera and shortly before being reunited with Callum and Rayla. He couldn’t remember his brother but he remembered the rogue well. 
> 
> After figuring out that he was possessed, the group decides to rid the ghost from their friend's body. Unfortunately, Ellis didn’t have any spells except Lesser Restoration that would stop conditions and effects at the source but she wasn’t a wizard and wasn’t sure how to go about it. 
> 
> Callum and Ellis came to an agreement; they would have to attack the ghost while also damaging Ezran in the process. Rayla struggles to maintain her cool while listening to Not-Ez mock her and also mock Callum’s insecurities. 
> 
> After dealing with 31 points of fire damage with only 26 HP to spare, Ezran had dropped to 0 and fell unconsious. The author confirmed that it wasn’t an instant death and that Ezran could be cured. 
> 
> After defeating the ghost, Ellis casts cure wounds on Ezran and gave him 5 HP which Callum was greatful for. Ellis then performs Lesser Restoration on Rayla to lesson her age back to 16 instead of 46. After that, the dragang left the house to look for a healer. 
> 
> The egg is left at the house with Ava watching over it. 
> 
> That was the summary for combat! I hope you enjoyed that!
> 
> See you in two weeks, and....
> 
> Is it Thursday yet?


End file.
